The Key to the Oleander

Chapter Twenty Four - Athena

"I understand why you gave me up." I break the silence. Felicity looks down at the purple flowers beneath her.

It's night now, I haven't seen Ace since this morning, and I don't think I'll ever see my "parents" again.

I'm not angry at Felicity somehow. I know why she did it, and I know she didn't want to do it, but she did it to save me.

"I didn't want to." Her voice cracks and I hear her sniffle quietly.

"I know." I whisper back softly. Silence falls again.

"If you're a goddess... then what am I?" I ask, and she looks up. A few seconds later, a smile tugs on her lips.

"Find the key to the oleander and all your questions will be answered." Before I can answer, she disappears when I blink my eyes back open.

"I don't know what you mean!" I yell up at the sky.

I'm not sure what I'd classify what I'm feeling. Stress, anger, pain, everything. Maybe it's, I - just - found - out - my - parents - aren't - my - real - parents.

My eyes widen as I realize I still have to tell Ace.

Oleanders spread through the ground and into the flower field. I slowly stand up as I watch the oleanders grow and the purple flowers die.

After what feels like forever, the field that was once filled with purple flowers is now a field filled with oleander flowers.

"Shit." I whisper.

"You what?" Is the first thing Ace says when I tell him everything, starting from when I went on the walk.

"I found out that the girl from my dreams is real for sure, and that she's my mother." I repeat myself. His hands drag down his face as he paces the room, taking it all in.

"Are you still heir of-" He removes his hands from his face as he asks.

"Yes. Well, I think so. If I was still heir then, not being their child. The only difference is that I know I'm not their child. They need an heir." I answer. He nods.

"Well, if Felicity is a goddess, wouldn't that make you one?" He points out.

"I don't know. I asked and she kept saying the same phrase over," I scoff. "Find the key to the oleander." We repeat at the same time.

"What can I do to help?" He asks, pulling me in by my waist. I pull my arms over his shoulders and connect my hands at the back of his neck.

"I hope you know that I love you." I tell him. His gaze softens and he presses my lips on his.

"I love you too, Athena." He whispers against my lips.

Suddenly, he yanks my shirt over my head and it goes flying over his shoulder. I pull his shirt off as he pulls down my shorts.

My head falls back when he starts to kiss down my neck as I take off his pants.

We go over to the bed, our lips never disconnecting. He lays me down gently and the way he looks at me only wants me to marry this man more than I thought was possible. He looks at me with love like no other, I never thought it was possible for me to believe someone could love me.

Ace pulls off my panties for what I'm guessing the slowest he can go. I know he's trying to torture me as he's looking at me with a cocky smirk.

Once they're off, I pull off his boxers as fast as I can and graze his length with my hands. He closes his eyes as I move it to my core.

He thrusts in me softly. My mouth falls open and a gasp breaks out of it. Each thrust makes me realize that we're making love. We have before, but this is more intimate, more passionate.

"Oh my Gods!" I exclaim. He chuckles, thrusting in me harder.

"Don't come yet." He orders, his mouth to my ear.

"I can't just-" But he interrupts me.

"You can and you will wait." His speed quickens up and my stomach is in knots. I'm a moaning mess at this point, and he's enjoying it.

"Let it go, love." Is all he needs to say, the built up pleasure releases.

"I love you, I love you, I love you-" My words get cut off with my gasp as I come undone.

He continues to thrust in me as he sits up on his knees and holds my legs around his waist.

"Fuck, Athena." He moans out and I can feel like twitching inside me.

My hands wrap around his back and I push him in deeper which beats his limit.

He remains in me for a minute or two as we try to catch our breath.

"I can't wait to marry you, Athena Dior." He whispers.

I smile. "I can't wait to marry you too, Ace Romano."